


Our hearts are unafraid (we're making our own fate)

by MYuzuki



Series: No matter what’s in front of me (I’ll keep fighting til I’ve won) [41]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Noctis Lucis Caelum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:00:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26732512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MYuzuki/pseuds/MYuzuki
Summary: Noctis doesn't bother sitting through the rest of the council meeting; once he's made it clear that he's accompanying Luna on her pilgrimage whether they approve of it or not, he ditches out, Ignis and Gladio trailing loyally after him even as various council-members call after him to return to his seat.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret & Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: No matter what’s in front of me (I’ll keep fighting til I’ve won) [41]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897525
Comments: 14
Kudos: 110





	Our hearts are unafraid (we're making our own fate)

**Author's Note:**

> In which we get some more Noct POV! Yay! Basically it's a lot of introspection and reflecting on things, but it should still be good. ;D

**Our hearts are unafraid (we** **'re making our own fate)**

* * *

Noctis doesn't bother sitting through the rest of the council meeting; once he's made it clear that he's accompanying Luna on her pilgrimage whether they approve of it or not, he ditches out, Ignis and Gladio trailing loyally after him even as various council-members call after him to return to his seat.

Luna likewise excuses herself from the madhouse that the council chamber has become, leaving Regis behind to deal with the fallout of their declaration as she gives Noctis a warm, grateful smile and returns back to her suite of rooms to rest.

Noctis feels kind of bad, leaving his dad behind to clean up the mess, so to speak, but not badly enough for it to change his mind.

(He doesn't think his father minds much, in any case; Regis had favored him with a tired but proud smile after his announcement, and had been one of the few people to not demand he come back and discuss the matter further).

Because Luna needs to replenish the magic of the havens, and that's not something she can do alone; she needs protection, someone to watch her back.

And Noct can do that. He's had combat training since he was old enough to walk, and all things being equal he would insist on accompanying Luna even if he didn't know one end of his sword from the other. Because he cares about her, and he doesn't want her to get hurt.

He's still not entirely sure if it's a romantic sort of love that he feels when he looks at her (he has precious little to compare the feeling to, after all), but there's no denying the fact that he does love her in some way. The long years that have passed since the time they'd spent together in childhood has left some awkwardness between them at times, but at other times it's as if all those years fall away and they're just as in-sync with one another as before.

(It's a work in progress, whatever exists between them, but all in all he doesn't mind that they're basically starting over from the ground level as tentative friends instead of something more; it gives them time to figure out who they are and what they want, now that they have the relative luxury of being able to think about their lives, instead of just hurtling along towards their destinies.)

That moment, there in the council chamber, had been one of those in-sync moments. They'd looked at each other after hearing Nyx talk about the way the haven he'd been at failed, after hearing Ardyn explain why it was happening.

They had looked at each in that moment, and they'd _known_.

They'd known that this was _theirs_. Their responsibility, their duty.

Because Luna is the Oracle and maintaining the havens is her duty. And because Luna's safety is important to him, going with the Oracle to protect her is _his_ duty, even if they never move past simply being friends and allies. Not to mention the fact that he's the Crown Prince, and has a responsibility to his people as well; Lucian lives will be lost if the havens aren't fixed, and he has a duty of care towards the citizens of his kingdom, an obligation to ensure their safety however he can.

Of course, it's hardly going to be just him and Luna alone on this journey; he'd known that with the same bone-deep certainty that had gripped him when he'd stood up beside Luna and declared his intent to accompany her.

"Specs, you'll get started on the arrangements?" he says, glancing over his shoulder at Ignis, who's tapping away at the screen of his phone with that same intense expression he gets when he's working on logistical things.

"Of course," Ignis returns smoothly, not missing a beat. "I'm currently filling requisition forms for some supplies to take with us, and downloading a plethora of maps from the royal library's database. Oh, and I've also texted Prompto with an update; he's on his way to the Citadel now."

A sound of surprise comes from the side. "Wait, you're not thinking of bringing Blondie with us?" Gladio asks, tone one of blatant disbelief.

"Why wouldn't we?" Noctis asks, arching an eyebrow at his protector and friend. "He was going to come along with us for the trip to Altissia for the wedding, and this isn't much different."

Gladio gives a low scoff. "Noct, buddy, you and I both know that this is _way_ different. This isn't going to be a simple road-trip, this is going to be us traveling all over the damn place, fighting through monsters and daemons and MTs to reach every single haven that needs a boost from Lady Lunafreya."

"Prompto's had Crownsguard training," Noctis retorts, and if he sounds a little defensive, well, he thinks it can be forgiven considering the topic of conversation.

"Yeah, like, a _month_ of training," Gladio says, rolling his eyes. "And that's good enough for a short trip to Altissia, but not for something like this. Noct, you have to realize that."

"What I realize is that Prompto is my best friend and I'm not leaving him behind," Noctis says, putting as much steel into his tone as he can. "He's had training, he knows how to fight, and I want him to come with us. Okay?"

Gladio heaves a sigh, but something about Noct's expression must telegraph how unwilling he is to budge on this particular issue. "Alright, fine. But if he has a freak-out over something stupid, you get to deal with it, got it?"

Noctis rolls his eyes. "He'll be fine, Gladio, you worry too much." Not that he can blame the older man for it, really; worrying about Noctis is literally his job, and it's a job he takes very seriously.

But still, sometimes he worries about the wrong things. Like now.

Because Noctis knows he can rely on Prompto, knows that even though his friend isn't an experienced fighter like Gladio or a strategic genius Ignis he's still worth having at your back in a tough situation. Because Prompt is bright and loyal and _good_. Because he never backs down, even when he's in over his head. And because Prompto is his friend, not out of obligation or duty, but out of choice.

Yes, Gladio and Ignis are his treasured friends as well (so close that they might as well be blood brothers in truth after all these years) and he knows that they'd go to the end of the world and back again for his sake, but he's never managed to entirely forget the fact that the friendships he has with them only had a chance to develop into those unbreakable bonds because they had been assigned to him, retainers for royalty.

But Prompto…Prompto _chose_ him. Prompto saw Noctis, awkward and antisocial and holding himself apart from the rest of their classmates because he's never been good at connecting with people, and Prompto _reached out_.

Reached out, and hasn't let go since.

Noctis isn't going to let go, either.

So when Prompto finally arrives at the Citadel in response to Ignis's text, Noctis explains to him what's going on.

"You can stay in Insomnia if you want," Noctis feels obligated to say once he's done giving him the rundown, because Gladio is right and it _will_ be dangerous. And as much as he wants Prompto with him, he doesn't want to force his best friend into a potentially lethal adventure if he genuinely doesn't want to go. "I would understand," he adds reluctantly, "if you'd rather stay behind. It's safer here."

Prompt, being Prompto, just huffs out a laugh and drapes an arm over Noctis's shoulder, yanking him into a loose hug. "What? Dude, no way, I'm totally coming with you. It'll be great."

The knot of tension in his stomach vanishes like it had never even existed in the first place, and Noctis allows himself a faint smile, leaning into his friend's embrace before lightly elbowing him in the ribs. "Alright," he says. "Well, let's hurry up and start packing, then. Because I don't know how long it'll be before my old man browbeats the rest of the nobility into submission, but no matter what they say I'm thinking we should probably leave sooner rather than later."

After all, the havens aren't going to fix themselves.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I totally didn't start this chapter intending to have an entire chunk of introspection dedicated just to Noctis thinking about Prompto, but I love Prompto so much I suppose it was probably inevitable, lol. But! In my defense, the chunk of introspection on Luna is of approximately the same length, so I cannot be accused of favoritism. ;D (…or perhaps it's just that they're all my favorites. Hmm.).
> 
> Anyway, in other news: I am still totally undecided about what to do with the Noctis & Luna relationship long-term! They are still technically engaged (as mentioned in an earlier drabble) but as stated in this drabble they're not really in a relationship, and are basically still feeling things out with each other in a more platonic friendship sort of way. Basically: they haven't seen in each other in, what, twelve years? They're essentially friendly strangers. Strangers who were really close as kids and who do have a strong emotional connection to each other as adults, but strangers nonetheless and so that's pretty much where I'm at with them: Childhood friends who are trying to figure out what they are to each other now. We'll see how it goes from here, I guess. :P
> 
> Also just to clarify: Gladio not wanting Prompto to come with them isn't him being rude or condescending or anything; he does consider Prompt his friend as well and he's not being a jerk on purpose. It really is that he's just genuinely worried that Prompt might get hurt or killed on the journey and isn't very good at expressing that in a way that doesn't come off as gruff/combative (he's too blunt sometimes, I think, lol.)
> 
> Anyway, that's it for now! I have an autobiographical essay I need to finish and a lecture on cell division I need to take notes on, so I might not be able to post another drabble tomorrow but it will *definitely* be posted within the next couple days. :D


End file.
